Trainings & Events

Pursuant to Public Act 19-71, DEEP invites you to attend a meeting of the Commission on Environmental Standards on Monday, November 10, 2025, at 10 AM. Meeting is to discuss issues associated with the 2019 and 2023 requests for proposals related to offshore wind power. The public will have an opportunity to make comments.
 

The Hixon Center is pleased to announce its Fall 2025 Speaker Series on Sustainable Transportation. Webinars will take place on Tuesdays from September 9 to November 11, from 12:00-1:00pm U.S. ET. Join us for a ten-part weekly lecture series on Sustainable Transportation, exploring forward-thinking solutions in response to climate change, rapid urbanization, and growing global mobility. Experts will share practical insights and real-world examples from across the globe, shedding light on policies and innovations for a more sustainable, connected world. Visit hixon.yale.edu/event-series/sustainable-transportation to see a full list of upcoming speakers. All lectures are free and open to the public. Recordings of each session will be available on the event page by the following Tuesday.
 

Join UConn TAB as they summarize the changes in the EPA MAC Grant Guidelines.
 

At the UConn Student Union Ballroom (Room 330), 2100 Hillside Road, Storrs, CT. An exciting day of presentations featuring current science-based research and information on supporting pollinators in managed landscapes. Learn how native plants support pollinator health throughout the year! Early Registration (by October 15): $70; Regular Registration (after October 15): $80; College/University Matriculated Students with valid school ID: $25.

Registration and more information ipm.cahnr.uconn.edu/nppc2025
 

The Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation is hosting a one-day conference at the Branford House at UConn Avery Point in Groton. Please join to work toward a more Resilient Connecticut! Register for the event HERE, registration closes November 3. Agenda to follow.
 

CT DEEP's new Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences launched a standing request for ideas of potential partnerships to provide new or expanded outdoor recreation experiences, services or amenities in Connecticut State Parks. Potential partners may include municipalities, businesses, non-profits, individuals and other stakeholders interested in promoting outdoor recreation opportunities in their community. Attendees will learn about new Request for Proposals (RFPs), a standing Request for Information (RFI), current partnerships in state parks, state park survey results and examples of how outdoor recreation is driving economic development and tourism and supporting local businesses and healthy communities.
 

In this final installment of a three-part webinar series on mapping water in CT, CLEAR will talk about WestCOG's experience providing mapping support to towns working to meet their obligations under the MS4 permit. They'll cover the logistics of mapping stormwater infrastructure, data structure, outputs, lessons learned, and how these efforts can carry forward into the culvert mapping requirements of Public Act 25-33. They'll also touch on ongoing MS4 coordination work being carried out by the regional Councils of Governments.
 

In May, DEEP, with partners UConn-CLEAR, launched a web-based tool to assist with the potential siting of solar projects and further the goal of increasing our state’s supply of zero-carbon energy. CREST provides free access to various layers of state, federal, and institutional data – demographic, forestry, geology, land use, water, wildlife, and more – that can be used by municipal planners, solar developers, conservation organizations, members of the public, and others to visualize where renewable energy best fits into Connecticut’s diverse landscape. Learn more about CREST and how to use it from the developers of the tool at DEEP. The webinar is free for COST member towns and associate members, but registration is required.
 

Introducing the new Clean Energy Action Center – PACE’s special in-person event will include the unveiling of the new Clean Energy Action Center (CEAC), an online tool aimed at helping towns understand their energy usage and chart a course to a clean energy world. We encourage you to be part of this revolutionary movement, and connect with other clean energy leaders from across the state. Together we can achieve CT’s climate mitigation goals.

The event will kick off with a greeting from Bill McKibben, and all attendees will receive a copy of Bill McKibben’s new book Here Comes the Sun. After unveiling the new Clean Energy Action Center, a panel of local leaders and state level program managers will explore how to unleash the power of local communities. Also, we will recognize several local climate champions and close with a message from Stanford University Professor Mark Jacobson.

Who Should Attend

• Town energy teams
• Municipal officials and staff
• Councils of Government representatives
• State legislators and agency representatives
• Clean energy vendors
• Financial and program partners
• Clean energy advocates

Lunch will be free for attendees and provided by Fire by Forge. The Lyceum offers complimentary on-site parking for up to 40 cars, with additional parking available for a fee, and parking for up to 10 bicycles. The parking lot is located just before the building.

Join the Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commissions (CACIWC) for a full day of educational workshops, informative displays, and special keynote presentations.

Featuring a dozen multi-track workshops, including:

• Implementation of Connecticut’s Wildlife Action Plan
• Updates on Approaches to Protection of Riparian Areas
• The Why and the How of Land Conservation for Municipalities
• 2025 Wetlands Law & Regulations Update with Q&A Session
• Stream Dynamics: How Beaver Management Policies & Culverts Impact Climate Resilience
• New Online GIS Tool for Evaluating Renewable Energy Siting
• Inland Wetlands Law; CT DEEP Online Training Course Q&A
• Riparian Tree Canopy Density as a Key Indicator of Water Quality
• How CT RC&D’s Environmental Review Team Can Help Your Town
• CT DEEP Volunteer Water Monitoring Program & Cold-Water Stream Habitat Mapping

Plus:

• Find helpful information at exhibitor displays of environmental consultants, green industry suppliers, and nonprofit organizations.
• Network with 250 other local wetland / conservation commission members, town staff, state and federal officials, land management consultants, academics, and environmental advocates. See old friends and make new ones!

Date: November 15, 2025
Time:  8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Registration and complimentary breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m.) 
Location: UConn Middlesex County Extension Center, 1066 Saybrook Road, Haddam, CT 06438

Cost: $55.00 (includes complimentary breakfast and lunch)

Registration Deadline: Monday, November 10, 2025 (Please note the training may fill before this date, so early registration is encouraged.)

The UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) will be running an all-day Land Use Academy – Advanced Training. Attendees may be eligible for the full four (4) credits of the required CGS Sec. 8-4c training. Advanced Training topics of Bias, Predisposition, and Conflicts will be presented by Richard P. Roberts, Halloran & Sage, Advanced Training topics on Running a Meeting and Making a Decision will be presented by Kenneth Slater, Jr., of Halloran & Sage, and Mark Branse, of Halloran & Sage, will present a session on Fair and Affordable Housing Policies which will cover one (1) credit on Fair and Affordable Housing Policies as required by the State Statute.

Topics covered:
General Commissioner training hours: 3
Fair & Affordable Housing training hours: 1

Copies of the 8th Edition of “What’s Legally Required: A Guide to Legal Rules for Making Land Use Decisions in the State of Connecticut” by Mike Zizka can be purchased in advance and can be picked up at the training. Visit: secure.touchnet.com/C21646_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp order the book and choose "Walk-In" for shipping. Tax-exempt organizations can submit a tax-exempt certificate to [email protected] to receive the link for tax-exempt ordering of the book. Please note this book is NOT required for this training.

If you would like a gluten-free or vegetarian meal, please notify Donna at [email protected] by November 10th.

UConn CLEAR is a partnership of the Departments of Extension and Natural Resources in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources and the CT Sea Grant Program.
 

PA entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) in 2016 to collaborate in developing tools, reports, workshops, meetings, communications pathways, and other initiatives that will leverage resources and advance a mutually shared mission of protecting the public's health from environmental threats and hazards and strengthen environmental health systems across the country. This webinar will provide a summary of projects completed to date under the MOA and then provide a deeper dive into the most recent project focusing on state disaster resiliency planning. Register here.
 

Registration is open for the 12th CAFM Annual Conference and Meeting to be held at Central Connecticut State University on November 20, 2025! CAFM focuses on providing educational opportunities and dissemination of general and technical information to individuals concerned with sound floodplain management as well as to the general public.
 

Jump on UConn TAB's link to get help and support with your EPA MAC Grant!
 

Did you know Connecticut has a legal service program just for the arts? Connecticut Office of the Arts has partnered with the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston to bring the Volunteer Lawyers for the arts program to CT. Learn how the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA) program supports Connecticut arts groups with legal advice, education, and services.

Who's it for?

• Nonprofits
• Arts Leaders
• Board Members
• Cultural Workers

Hosted by the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut.
 

Connecticut’s data community faces new challenges and opportunities as access to critical information grows more complex and essential to our work. This year’s sudden loss of federal datasets (which were ultimately restored) underscored the urgent need for a strong and connected data ecosystem in Connecticut.

For this year's conference, CTData will focus on the theme of Data for Democracy. Bringing together more than 250 nonprofit and public sector leaders, data professionals, and advocates, we will strengthen our collective ability to use data for good.

Join CTData on December 3rd at the Hartford Marriott Downtown for a day of expert insights, hands-on learning, and networking with peers who share your commitment to ethical, transparent, and impactful data use.

This year’s event comes at a pivotal moment for our state and features keynote speaker Dr. Ismar Volić, Director of the Institute for Mathematics and Democracy, and author of “Making Democracy Count: How Mathematics Improves Voting, Electoral Maps, and Representation.” As an attendee you will:

• Gain practical skills through sessions such as Data Tools 101 and 202.

• Explore participatory strategies to authentically engage people with lived experience.

• Learn actionable frameworks like “before action reviews” and “in action reviews.”

• Connect with a vibrant professional community committed to advancing ethical data practices.

• Share solutions and advocate for the data that drives our missions and supports strong communities.

This is a paid in-person event.
 

Join Nylab Noori, from New England Rural Health Association for a discussion on how rural communities are impacted by brownfields.
 

Oftentimes the most difficult part of being an artist is finding the skills, tools, and connections needed to make your work and share it with the public. In this workshop, participants will begin by surfacing the resources already at their disposal in their larger personal network and consequently outline the pathways to reach the resources not yet secured. Using a collaboratively-minded strategy to resource sharing and exchange, artists will learn how to navigate their surroundings, leverage existing connections, and build a broader community of mutual assistance that nurtures win-win relationships and shared success. Artists at all stages of their careers welcome.

Ana ‘Masacote’ Tinajero is an award-winning Afro-Latin dance artist and performing arts curator who loves engineering spaces for community connection through the arts.

Best suited for artists of all disciplines interested in or already engaging with their larger creative community. 30 participants max.
 

There is no one way to create an artist statement.

Writing about your creative practice is necessary for everything from artist residencies and applications, exhibitions, websites, and LinkedIn profiles.

Join Lennon Hernandez Wolcott, Artist and Arts Administrator, for a conversation that will support a greater sense of confidence to explore and represent your own ideas, understand your audience, and find just the right words to express your ideas.
 

For decades, Amy Smith has prepared taxes for artists, taught financial well-being workshops, and coached artists one on one. This workshop will cover the basics of taxes for artists, including separating personal and artistic finances, Schedule C filing, self-employment versus employment, and tracking deductions. This workshop will have a particular eye toward artists’ current financial challenges and helping artists navigate updates to tax law. It will not cover specifics of quarterly estimated taxes.

Amy Smith is an educator, professional tax-preparer and the former Co-Director of Headlong Dance Theater, a Bessie-award winning Philadelphia-based dance theater company.

Suitable for artists of all disciplines.
 

Join Katie Malgioglio, UConn TAB Community Engagement Manager, for a conversation about UConn TAB's Municipal Assistance Program.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

This informative day will include keynote speakers, breakout sessions, networking, a catered lunch, and exhibitors. Attendees will benefit from a variety of themed breakout sessions, providing education on composting related to the basics, home, farm, municipal, schools, and medium to large scale operations. The event will highlight how composting can benefit local communities, businesses, the environment, and improve climate resiliency.